E6 M - Agree and disagree politely

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E6 M - Agree and disagree politely

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E6 M - Agree and disagree politely

Mini description: Say if you agree or disagree politely. Add one short reason. Practise with mini-debates about school, hobbies and everyday life.

Think first: What could the two signs mean in a friendly discussion?

Your learning path

Notice → understand → practise → use → feedback → use again.

At the end, you can:

1. say that you agree politely.
2. say that you disagree politely.
3. add a short reason with because.
4. react to another person's idea.
5. take part in a short mini-debate.

Deutsch-Hilfe: Du lernst, Zustimmung und Ablehnung höflich auszudrücken und einen kurzen Grund zu nennen. Versuche Aufgaben zuerst auf Englisch.

Quick start: What do you already know?

Try English first. Choose one sentence for each situation.

A: Your friend says: “Our break should be longer.” You like the idea.

B: Your friend says: “Homework is always fun.” You have a different opinion.

Hint: Start with I agree ... or I don't agree ...

Deutsch-Hilfe: Formuliere einmal Zustimmung und einmal höfliche Ablehnung.

Example: “I agree because a longer break gives us time to relax.”

Notice: Useful phrases

Read the mini-dialogue.

Mia: I think school should start later.

Leo: I agree. We are less tired in the morning.

Noah: I see your point, but I don't agree. School would finish later.

Mia: That's a good point. I still think a later start is better.

Notice: The speakers do not only say yes or no. They react politely and give a reason.

Useful phrases

1. I agree.
2. I agree because ...
3. That's true.
4. Good point.
5. I'm not sure I agree.
6. I see your point, but ...
7. I don't agree because ...
8. I think ... because ...

Deutsch-Hilfe: I see your point bedeutet ungefähr: „Ich verstehe deinen Punkt.“ Danach kannst Du trotzdem widersprechen.

Media input: Listen and watch

First listening: Listen for phrases that show disagreement. Do not try to understand every word.

Video laden

YouTube

YouTube sammelt möglicherweise persönliche Daten. Datenschutzrichtlinie

Fortfahren Ausblenden

Second listening: Which phrases sound calm and respectful?

Hint: Listen for phrases beginning with I'm not ... or I see ...

Deutsch-Hilfe: Höre zuerst nur auf die Formulierungen für höflichen Widerspruch. Einzelne unbekannte Wörter sind nicht wichtig.

Example answer: “I see your point, but ...” sounds polite because it shows that you listened first.

Understand: What makes a reply polite?

A useful reply often has three small parts:

React → opinion → reason

Example: “Good point. I agree because group work can help us share ideas.”

Or:

React → different opinion → reason

Example: “I see your point, but I don't agree because I work better alone.”

You do not need a long reason. One clear sentence is enough.

Vocabulary in context

Read the short scene.

Sam: We should have no homework on Fridays.

Ava: I agree because we need time for hobbies.

Ben: I'm not sure I agree. A little homework can help us practise.

Important words:

1. agree – zustimmen
2. disagree – nicht zustimmen
3. opinion – Meinung
4. reason – Grund
5. point – Argument oder Gedanke
6. because – weil
7. polite – höflich
8. respectful – respektvoll

Try English first: Explain reason in easy English.

Hint: It answers the question “Why?”

Deutsch-Hilfe: Ein reason erklärt, warum Du etwas denkst.

Pronunciation: Sound clear, not perfect

Your goal is understandable English, not a perfect accent.

Say these chunks slowly, then naturally:

1. I agree.
2. Good point.
3. I'm not sure I agree.
4. I see your point, but ...
5. I disagree because ...

Stress tip: Make the important words a little stronger: “I AGREE because it's FAIR.”

Partner check: Could your partner understand the opinion and the reason?

Deutsch-Hilfe: Betone wichtige Inhaltswörter. Sprich verständlich; Akzentfreiheit ist nicht das Ziel.

Practise: Build a polite reply

Complete the pattern:

A: “I think our class should have more project days.”

B: “__________. I agree / don't agree because __________.”

Hint: Start with Good point or I see your point, but ...

Deutsch-Hilfe: Reagiere zuerst freundlich, sage dann Deine Meinung und ergänze einen Grund.

Example: “Good point. I agree because projects can be creative.”

Solution idea: Many answers are possible if they are clear, polite and include a reason.

Reading: Three opinions

Read the short text.

Class 6B is planning a class afternoon. Lina wants a sports afternoon because many students like moving and playing games. Jay agrees, but he wants one quiet activity too. Emma sees their point, but she prefers a creative afternoon because not everyone enjoys sports. The class decides to collect more ideas before choosing.

Check your understanding:

1. Who wants sports?
2. Who agrees but adds another idea?
3. Who disagrees politely?
4. Why does Emma prefer a creative afternoon?

Hint: Look for because, agrees and but.

Deutsch-Hilfe: Suche nicht jedes Wort. Finde Namen, Meinungen und Gründe.

Solution: Lina wants sports. Jay agrees but wants a quiet activity too. Emma has a different opinion. She thinks a creative afternoon includes students who do not enjoy sports.

Speak: Mini-debates

Work with a partner. Choose one topic:

1. School breaks should be longer.
2. Every class should have a class pet.
3. Reading is better than gaming.
4. Students should have one homework-free day each week.
5. A school trip should be active, not quiet.

Round 1: Person A gives an opinion and one reason.

Round 2: Person B agrees or disagrees politely and gives one reason.

Round 3: Person A reacts again.

Useful start: “I think ... because ...”

Useful reply: “I see your point, but ...”

Challenge: Ask one follow-up question: “Why do you think that?”

Deutsch-Hilfe: Erst Meinung + Grund, dann höflich reagieren. Die Mini-Debatte braucht nur drei kurze Beiträge.

Short writing

Write a short message of 4–5 sentences.

Topic: Your class is choosing between a games afternoon and a sports afternoon.

Include:

1. your opinion.
2. one polite reaction to another idea.
3. one reason with because.
4. one friendly final sentence.

Example: “I like the idea of a games afternoon. I see your point about sports, but I prefer games because everyone can choose a different activity. Maybe we can include one short sports game too. What do you think?”

Deutsch-Hilfe: Schreibe keinen langen Text. Wichtig sind Meinung, höfliche Reaktion und ein kurzer Grund.

Mediation: Help someone join the discussion

A German-speaking classmate says:

„Ich finde einen längeren Pausenhof-Aufenthalt gut, weil wir dann mehr Zeit zum Reden und Bewegen haben.“

Tell an English-speaking classmate the main idea in simple English. Do not translate every word.

Hint: Start with “They think ... because ...”

Deutsch-Hilfe: Gib nur die Hauptaussage wieder.

Example solution: “They think a longer break is a good idea because students have more time to talk and move.”

Feedback: Make your reply stronger

Use this quick partner check:

1. Polite? Did the speaker react respectfully?
2. Clear? Can you hear the opinion?
3. Reason? Is there a short reason?
4. Understandable? Can you follow the sentence easily?

Give one short feedback sentence:

“Your reason is clear.”

or

“Try adding ‘because’.”

Do not correct every small mistake. Focus on meaning and one language point.

Use again: One-minute debate

Choose a new topic. Speak for about one minute with a partner.

Topic ideas:

1. School lunch should have more choice.
2. Classes should sometimes be outdoors.
3. Board games are better than video games.
4. Students should choose some classroom activities.

Try to use at least three phrases from this course.

Safe and fair media use

The Wikimedia Commons files used here are freely licensed or public-domain media; check the file page for the exact licence. The YouTube videos are external learning media and should be used according to school rules.

For speaking practice, recordings are optional. If you record your voice, keep the recording private unless your teacher and you have agreed otherwise. Do not upload personal recordings without permission. No external AI service is needed for this course. If you use AI in another learning setting, check its output and write the final sentence in your own words.

Interaktive Aufgaben

Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen

Which reply shows polite agreement and gives a reason? (I agree because the idea is fair.) (!Yes.) (!You are wrong.) (!No way.)

Which phrase is a polite way to disagree? (I see your point, but I don't agree.) (!That's nonsense.) (!You are wrong.) (!Never.)

What does because introduce? (A reason) (!A name) (!A greeting) (!A question word)

Which sentence reacts politely before disagreeing? (Good point, but I have a different idea.) (!Wrong.) (!No.) (!That is bad.)

Which sentence is best for a mini-debate? (I think longer breaks are good because we can relax.) (!Longer breaks.) (!Because relax.) (!Good good good.)

What is the main goal of pronunciation practice here? (To be understandable) (!To lose every accent) (!To speak as fast as possible) (!To use very difficult words)

Which sentence gives an opinion and a reason? (I prefer project days because we can work together.) (!Project days.) (!Because together.) (!Do you?)

What should you do before using the German help? (Try the task in English first) (!Skip the task) (!Translate every word) (!Ask for the solution immediately)

Which is a useful follow-up question in a discussion? (Why do you think that?) (!What is your password?) (!How old is your phone?) (!Can you stop talking?)

Which feedback focuses on one useful next step? (Try adding because.) (!Everything is wrong.) (!Speak perfectly.) (!Change your accent.)

Memory

I agree.	polite agreement
I see your point, but ...	polite disagreement
because	gives a reason
Good point.	respectful reaction
opinion	what you think
Why do you think that?	follow-up question

Drag and Drop

Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu.	Thema
I agree because ...	Zustimmung mit Grund
I see your point, but ...	Höflicher Widerspruch
Good point.	Respektvolle Reaktion
I think ...	Eigene Meinung
Why do you think that?	Rückfrage

Kreuzworträtsel

agree	Which verb means to have the same opinion?
polite	Which word describes respectful language?
reason	What explains why you think something?
point	Which word can mean an idea in a discussion?
because	Which word can introduce a reason?
opinion	What do you call what a person thinks?

Lückentext

Vervollständige den Text.

In a friendly discussion, you can say when you have the same opinion. If your opinion is different, you can start with to show respect. You can add a reason with . A short reason makes your clearer. In a mini-debate, you can also ask to keep the conversation going.

Offene Aufgaben

Leicht

1. Agree phrase card: Make a small card with three polite agreement phrases and one example sentence.
2. Disagree phrase card: Make a small card with three polite disagreement phrases and one example sentence.
3. Reason builder: Write five short opinions and add a reason with because.
4. Dialogue reading: Read one dialogue from this course with a partner and mark the words you want to stress.

Standard

1. Mini-debate school break: Prepare a three-turn debate about longer school breaks.
2. Class activity choice: Compare two class activities and write a polite reply to a classmate's idea.
3. Private audio practice: If you want, record a 30-second private practice version, listen once and improve one sentence. Do not upload it.
4. Short email opinion: Write a short email about a class afternoon with one agreement or disagreement and one reason.

Schwer

1. Two-sided mini-debate: Prepare one reason for and one reason against a homework-free day, then discuss with a partner.
2. Discussion observer: Listen to a partner debate and note one polite phrase, one clear reason and one useful follow-up question.
3. Mediation challenge: Explain a short German opinion in simple English without translating word for word.
4. One-minute presentation: Give a one-minute talk about an age-appropriate class topic and react to one question politely.

Lernkontrolle

1. Polite reaction: A classmate says, “We should have sports every afternoon.” Give a polite reply with a different opinion and one reason.
2. Reason quality: Compare “I disagree” with “I see your point, but I disagree because not everyone likes sports.” Explain which parts make the second reply more useful in a discussion.
3. Mini-debate transfer: Choose a new school topic and write three connected turns for two speakers.
4. Reading transfer: Read a short opinion text from your textbook and underline the opinion, reaction phrase and reason.
5. Feedback task: Give a partner one positive feedback sentence and one clear next step without correcting every mistake.
6. Mediation transfer: Summarise one short German opinion in simple English so that an English-speaking classmate understands the main idea.

Lernnachweis

For a successful learning record, you should be able to:

1. express agreement politely.
2. express disagreement politely.
3. give at least one short reason.
4. react to another person's idea.
5. ask one simple follow-up question.
6. take part in a short mini-debate.
7. write a short, connected opinion text.
8. speak clearly enough to be understood.

Can-do check

Tick what you can do now:

□ I can say “I agree” and add a reason.

□ I can disagree without sounding rude.

□ I can use “I see your point, but ...”

□ I can use “because” for a short reason.

□ I can ask “Why do you think that?”

□ I can take part in a short mini-debate.

If you tick only some boxes, go back to Practise and Use again.

Repeat with another media input

Watch or listen to parts of this BBC Learning English lesson. Focus only on useful ways to agree and disagree.

Video laden

YouTube

YouTube sammelt möglicherweise persönliche Daten. Datenschutzrichtlinie

Fortfahren Ausblenden

Try English first: Write down two phrases you understand.

Hint: Listen for short reactions before longer explanations.

Deutsch-Hilfe: Notiere nur zwei verständliche Wendungen. Du musst das Video nicht vollständig verstehen.

Folgekurs

Continue with E6 M - Ask follow-up questions politely. There you can practise how to keep a discussion going with simple questions and connected answers.

OERs zum Thema

For background on respectful communication, you can explore the Wikipedia article on politeness:

Verknüpfte Lernbereiche

Englisch Sprechen Hörverstehen Leseverstehen Schreiben Sprachmittlung Wortschatz Aussprache Meinung Höflichkeit Kommunikation